We have been admirers of the efficiency of fat head (squared top) mainsails for years. The problem in a cruising context was the top batten, When hoisting or lowering it tended to jam, often requiring someone aloft to administer assistance. When furling a fat head the headboard needed to be detached from the mast to allow the upper batten to lie down. There may be an answer.
We saw this hardware on a new yacht in Camden, Maine. The skipper says the sail goes up and down without a fuss, and as you can see here, when the halyard is released the sail can be flaked in a normal manner.
The spars are from Hall and the sailmakers, where this hardware originated, are part of the Doyle group.
Posted by Steve Dashew (August 3, 2011)
August 8th, 2011 at 3:59 pm
Hi Steve,
Very interesting piece of gear…do you have the name of the actual sailmakers that this hardware comes from ?…I searched Doyle and Hall and can’t find it
Cheers
Alan
August 8th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Hi Alan:
Nothing more than what is in the post. The sails are from one of the Doyle lofts.
August 11th, 2011 at 1:49 pm
All of us in the sailmaking business order from the same vendors. While I don’t recognize that particular hardware, it would likely be easy to source. We did a carbon/technora main for a big cat that required a big Antal headboard not too long ago. On projects like that we look at the particulars of the sail, expected load, and design to figure out a good fit.
Looking at the picture I’m wondering if it might be a clew board like what we’d use on an in-mast furling main adapted for use as a headboard for this application.
In considering a main like the one in the picture, we have to really consider the additional loads created by the fathead. It won’t be suitable for every track system.
August 14th, 2011 at 11:36 am
i Have the same on my Lagoon 380 cat.
but it is just a line going in to the top wagon and down. to the nexst wagon, when eased off it all folds nicely down. Dont know for how long the Filament line will hold, but will have spears ready.
August 17th, 2011 at 8:28 am
Hi Alan and Steve,
The headboard and carriage arrangement on Isobel is a custom fitting built to work with the Harken 26mm switch track. The patented system has previously been fitted to the smaller Harken captive ball systems and could be built to function with most slide systems. As you note it makes handling large square top mains very easy. I can be reached at the Doyle loft in Salem, Massachusetts.
August 30th, 2011 at 9:27 am
That system was invented and patented by Jon Fitch. He made the original himself for his custom-built cat yawl Anomaly. He also made the one in the picture.